I'm sick of this

[Hikin_Jim]

Nick,

Are there no legal remedies? If an individual causes multiple SAR call outs, couldn't that person be cited for creating an unsafe situation? I saw in Backpacker Magazine that the park service did that to a guy who did multiple alerts in a single trip. (Yes, I still sometimes read Backpacker Magazine) If there isn't such a law, maybe the Board of Supervisors should give one serious consideration.

Or, how about a restraining order? Seriously, report to a local magistrate that this guy has had multiple call outs for himself in less than a year's time and has shown little or no regard for the danger he puts SAR personnel in or the expense to the county. If he can't get within 500 yds of Skyline, he can't try yet again, and it might really get his attention since a near death experience didn't seem to.

How do law enforcement and fire handle such a thing? Surely there are people who "overutilize" the paramedics and such?

HJ

[recordalley]

sorry to let cat out of bag, looking forward to seeing you again

[lipbiter]

You have no idea how many times the members of RMRU say that we wish we could leave those unprepared people on Skyline.

With all due respect, Nick, and you know I ADORE you, I don't remember hearing anyone make this complaint. Maybe this was the conversation you guys had in the field while I was warm and cozy at base. Or maybe it was on the second or third mission in a week; you guys have been busy lately.

I do know from personal experience, that many times I responded not for the benefit of the subject, but to make it easier for fellow team members.

From what I saw, the members of RMRU don't do much complaining. They just respond when needed. Helping unprepared people is a lot of what SAR is about.

[bluerail]

It still seems that 90% of what they end up having to do, is get morons out of a deadly fix.

some of us put SO MUCH work into being able to do some of this stuff, and it's these frickin idiots that get people to bring them water and moral suport and even get to go for a helicopter ride !

I'm getting pretty sick of it too Hal !

I want to ride in the helicopter as bad as anyone, but I will always use my head, strength and hard earned abilities to stay out of it.

sorry to rant

hi lip and nick, miss running into you guys out there. be safe and try to stay outta the heat.

good point Alan, I mean, are people like Zip regular ? he was playing with a snake on the trail saturday and he used to be afraid of them..well, it was a pretty pink and purple snake.not too scary. tell Eric I said hi and congratulations.

[OtherHand]

With all due respect, Nick, and you know I ADORE you, I don't remember hearing anyone make this complaint. Maybe this was the conversation you guys had in the field while I was warm and cozy at base. Or maybe it was on the second or third mission in a week; you guys have been busy lately.

In defense of Nick, what's said in the field tends to stay in the field.....

[lipbiter]

what's said in the field tends to stay in the field.....

And that's how it should be; hint, hint.

[AlanK]

These days, the rule seems to be "what happens anywhere gets all over the Internet."

[Hikin_Jim]

I heard about an AlanK in Indio who ...

While I wouldn't suggest abandoning people to die if they are repeat offenders, I think it is valid to put some type of restriction on them, say a one year suspension from the mountain. Dunno if that'll fly, but if not, then perhaps a bill for the expense of the rescue effort. Yes, I know billing can make people hesitate to call, but if a small, identifiable subset of people rescued are fined I don't think the population at large will be affected.

No, we should leave people to die. Yes, it is appropriate to take action against people who repeatedly put SAR teams at risk, particularly if in such an egregious fashion as "Chris Miller from Indio" appears to have done.

HJ

[whatmeworry]

Careful what you wish for....

There are people on this board who have been or are very familiar with subjects of SAR operations. When applied to an "average hiker" yardstick (forget about joe public) these folks would be getting some very big bills for their "risky" behavior.

Legislating stupidity would be nice, but many of us would not like the hiking "rules" that would get set....

Solo hikes (in any season but winter gets you double fines...), "ultralight" hikes (don't have the 10 essentials? Ill-prepared surcharge.....), getting too close to the wildlife? That'll cost you extra too.

Remember - other than the big search operations - most of the resources used are either volunteers and/or are being paid anyway (i.e. the helo pilots). Some costs for extra fuel use, maintenance, etc. certainly come into play.

Play the come-rescue-me-cause-I'm-not-prepared game too many times and you might come up snake eyes. Problem solved.

[asabat]

Here's one where something has to be missing from the story - hikers called for help because they were lost, stranded AT THE TRAILHEAD. How is that possible?

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... ed-laguna/

Now, that trail is a through trail, so maybe they hiked from the top trailhead to the bottom one and didn't want to hike back up.